One of the first things you will configure in vCenter Server is

• Create a datacenter
• Create a HA and DRS cluster
• Add an ESX/ESXi host

1. Start the vSphere client and connect to the vCenter Server.

2. Once connected right click the vCenter server hostname in the inventory,

Click "New Datacenter".

3.Give the Datacenter a name that describes its location.

4. Right click the datacenter and click "New Cluster".

5. Firstly give the cluster a sensible name. This could describe the processor type, the rack that the cluster of servers will be in, its use etc.

Select "Turn on vSphere HA"

Select "Turn on vSphere DRS"

Click Next.

6. VMware DRS will be discussed in more detail in another article.

To setup a fully automated DRS cluster choose "Fully automated" and a desired migration threshold.

Click Next.

7. VMware DRS Power Management will be discussed in more detail in another article.

Choose "Off" and Click Next.

8. VMware HA will be discussed in more detail in another article.

Select "Enable Host Monitoring".

Choose to prevent or allow VMs from being powered on if it violates availability constraints in a failure.

Choose an admission control policy if preventing VMs from being powered in when resources are constrained.

Click Next.

9. Choose default a restart priority (Medium in most if not all cases).

Choose a host isolation response (Shut down being the most graceful but slowest).

Click Next.

10. Choose whether to enable VM monitoring via VMware Tools.

Select the sensitivity for monitoring if enabled.

Click Next.

11. Chose "Disable EVC".

Click Next.

12. For the swapfile policy choose "Store the swapfile in the same directory as the virtual machine" (This will speed up VMotion).

Click Next.

13. Review the Cluster configuration.

Click Finish.

 14. Right click the cluster and select "Add Host...".

15. Enter the hostname/IP address of the ESX/ESXi Server host.

Enter a username for the host (root).

Enter a password for the host.

Click Next.

16. Review the host details and a list of virtual machines currently running on the host (if any).

Click Next.

17. If running in evaluation mode Click Next. Otherwise enter the license for the correct edition of vSphere.

18. Choose to enable Lockdown Mode.

Click Next.

19. Choose where to put any existing virtual machines on the host. Either:

In the root resource pool.

A new resource pool named after the host.

Click Next.

20. Review the actions and click Finish.

21. The ESX/ESXi host is added to the HA DRS Cluster including any existing virtual machines.